Chapter 12 - A mission to Kala-i-Now, Khanshin District

It was a hot day in June when my team was asked to support the Afghan Elite Police (The Tigers) mission in the Kala-i-Now area at the bank of river Helmand. We were also informed that there will be a two kilometer walk in addition to an hour truck ride before reaching the staging area. As we planned to stay for 15 days, we took enough clothes, snacks, and required bedding. In addition, we were also carrying some equipment to support the mission. The Afghan Police post Kala-i-Now was our destination. It was 1:00 PM when we left our MRAP in the desert and started walking with our rucksacks on our backs and water bottles in our pockets.

Most of the land outside the village was waterlogged, giving an impression of a swamp. However, arable land in the village were those which were located at somewhat higher grounds thus protected from the water logging. Almost all fields were without any crop. Wheat, which was cultivated by a few farmers, was already harvested. Due to the uncertainty of the District Government's attitude toward poppy cultivation, many farmers did not cultivate any crop (poppy or wheat). Like other areas of Khanashin, farmers in the Kala-i-Now also considered wheat as an uneconomical crop, due to high input cost, poor saline soils and non-availability of improved seed. The availability of imported wheat at a reasonable price in the market with the help of the World Food Program (WFP) also prevented farmers growing their own wheat. As in other parts of Helmand, opium was also a crop of choice in Kala-i-now.

It was hot and dry which made us thirsty. I finished all my two liters of water bottles in the first Kilometer of my walk. We kept on walking by crossing agricultural fields, jumping water channels, and avoiding barking dogs. Even after 3 Km of walk we were unable to see our destination. Now I was getting tired and was almost dragging myself to keep pace with the young marines who were also showing significant signs of exhaustion. My friend Ray, who was also supporting the mission along with his team, was quiet and was not cracking any jokes. His jokes always helped us to soothe our long walks. After walking for about five kilometers, we saw the antennas and the watch tower of the police post. I almost collapsed when the post was only 50 meters away. A Tiger police officer came to my rescue and took my rack sack. I hardly walked to the police post and dropped myself on the floor. A marine medic took my temperature which was 102 F, but he himself was running at a temperature of 103 F. He offered me some water to drink, but the water was so hot that I preferred not to drink it. After an hour of rest and a significant drop in the environmental temperature I regained my strength. A group of marines with the Tigers team was ready for a foot patrol of the area. The team I was working with was also asked to accompany the patrol.

The village was beautiful but without a paved road, school, or health clinic. Many children were playing on the streets. Mama dog, the police post dog, along with her three puppies were also accompanying us. Sun had already started hiding in the west. Sheep and goat flocks were returning home. Some cows were still grazing on the sides of the canal. After two hours of patrolling, we came back to the post and munched on MRE. Mama dog could not come inside the post because her space was occupied by us. However, her puppies stayed close to us. I prepared my bed with a layer of empty sandbags (to protect my back from gravel), mosquito net, and a sleeping bag. Marines erected a toilet with Hesco walls. As it was of a single occupancy, therefore, wait time was not less than 30 minutes on its first day. However, we used this waiting time to applaud all those coming out holding their used wag bags by shouting "good job".

The night was very pleasant, and I was tired. It took me a few minutes to start snoring. Ray was also exhausted and quickly went to sleep without telling his stories. The next day was Friday, so I decided to take a shower to get rid of dust and sweat from my previous days’ walk. The bathroom for the police post was built on the roadside in front of the police post. There was no door on the bathroom, but a thick curtain made of jute bags. I took the water in two jerry cans from the hand water pump and went to the bathroom. As I started showering a mild wind began forcing me to hold the curtain with one hand and take a shower with the other. It was quite a struggle. After that day I started taking my shower inside the Police post and Ray was always there to pump water for me.

For the next 15 days we patrolled the area every day at different times. Tigers held many informal meetings with the residents. Mama dog always accompanied us on these patrols, and we enjoyed her patrolling skills. Afghan Police officers stationed at the post were very helpful. Almost every day they brought us watermelons and cucumbers. On our last night on the mission, they prepared a dinner for us, and we enjoyed chicken curry with Afghani bread and "shorunbay", a yogurt drink (do not try it if you are not used to it, otherwise be ready for diarrhea and severe stomach cramps).